Feb-March

Lambing Season is just around the corner, and all four of the girls look like they were covered by our Ram, 'Prince'. He's 75% (ARR) and one ewe is 75%, while the other three are 50% Kerry hill. (So 5/8 KH babies)

The ewe on the left (with the white nose) is one of our first 50% lambs, while right beside her is our 75% Ram. He has good markings, and is a pretty calm ram, (by Cheviot and Kerry Hill standards). I haven't weighed him recently, but he looks to be in the 150-180 lb range (hard to tell before we shear). Our twin 50% rams were behemoths, well over 200 each, heterosis, I am sure.

The ewes are smaller than the Cheviot foundation ewes, probably down in the 125 pound range. I don't plan to keep any of the lambs (well the boys will go to the freezer, but we could part with ewe lambs and few have been spoken for).

Other's thought to import them

A fellow I met through the blog emailed that he had read an account of people evaluating Kerry Hills for import to the US. "Modern Sheep Breeds and Management; 1907 (Welcome to read if you are so inclined).

Thanks Norm

Yes, still around

So to answer questions, yes we are still breeding Kerry Hills.

Not intentionally this past year.

I turned the spring ram lamb (Prince) in with the ewes in late Jan (he was about 10 months old, it was late in the season, I thought I was practicing 'safe shepherding') but he still seemed to have bred half the ewes. Precocious lad, but then he was 75% welsh...so there you go.

We'll be turning him in with the ewes this Oct (2011) and expect Feb-March 5/8 lambs. (Keep an eye out). I expect better than 50% coverage as a yearling...and then we'll AI the 75% and 50% ewes in Sep/Oct 2012 for 2013 lambs.

Neglecting my Blog, but not my sheep

It has been quite a while since I posted and some people have asked if the Blog is still active. It is. Due to a busy work schedule I opted not to AI, or even breed at all this year. It does take some time and energy that I just couldn't dedicate. I also downsized the flock to 5 (a 75% ram lamb, a 75% ewe lamb and three 50% ewes). More manageable.

Internationalness

Yvonne Brown of the UK Kerry Hill Flock Book society receives regular requests for information about Kerry Hills in the US. In fact it was Ms Brown that pointed me to Mr. Terry (from whom I purchased the original semen). I sent the status update for this US project and Ms Brown posted it to the UK Kerry Hill website. Very kind of her.

Spring Sales

I had not originally thought of this blog as a place to advertise the sale as well as the breed in general, but I have gotten inquiries through the blog, and I am letting some of my flock go, so I suppose it's as good a place as any to advertise.

- I am planning to sell my 3 Registered Cheviot ewes (TJA flock). All have AI'd 2x and natural bred once.
- I also intend to part with my two 50% Kerry Hill Rams (3 year olds, twins, proven breeders) as well as all the 25% ewe lambs, this year.

Leave a note if you're interested, the blog is moderated so I have to approve them before the posts show up. You can leave contact info if you would like and I won't post that.

Lambing Season

Another Lambing Season is over.

Two of our three 50% ewes that were AI'd dropped lambs, while one didn't take and was caught by the cleanup rams.

So our final tally for the season is: 1 75% ram lamb, 1 75% ewe lamb, 1 50% ram lamb, 1 50% ewe lamb, 4 25% ram lambs and 4 25% ewe lambs. From a flock of 11 (including the two rams) we ended up with a flock of 23! And a lambing ratio of 1 to 1.44. Not too bad considering the three AI (which skews lambing rates) and two yearling first time mothers.

So for this month we have to finish up shearing, and then flock dispersal! I intend to find homes for the 4 cheviot foundation ewes, the 50% and 25% lambs and keep the 2 75% lambs, and the 2 50% cleanup rams as well as the 5 50% ewes for AI next year. From 23 back down to an easily manageable eight or nine!